Bhindawas Lake Bird Sanctuary on 17 Nov 09

Nomad tribals passing through the sanctuary.

Purple Swamphens and Common Coots.

Great Cormorants and Black-headed Ibises nesting.

Crested Serpent-Eagle waiting for some slithing snake.

Oriental Honey-buzzard on a brick wall, on way to the sanctuary.

With my son Gaggu, I spent some hours at Bhindawas Lake on 17 Nov 09, Tuesday. Morning was foggy, but it cleared by noon. Wintering waterfowl has still not reached. Water hyacinth is a big menace. Dirt track around the lake is a shambles., lot of gullies. Staff is not interested, only two persons posted and they too were sitting in the rest house, no one bothers about the maintenance of the sanctuary.

Great Cormorants were looking after their babies in the nests, about a dozen of White-headed Ibises also on nests. A lonely Marsh Harrier, 2 aquila Eagles (possibly Imperial) in over head fight, Honey Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Shikra. Indian Eagle Owl, Spotted Owlet.

A disappointing visit.

Whistler's Warbler at Sultanpur Jheel - a new record

Clive, Abhijit, Vijay Sethi, Pankaj Gupta and others watched two Whistler's Warblers at Sultanpur National Park, Gurgaon on 15 Nov 09, Sunday. A record shot was posted by Vijay Sethi, which confirmed the ID without doubt.
This is not only a new addition for Sultanpur, but also a new record for the Delhi region.
Congrats to the delhibirders who reported this bird.

Sarus Crane on 14th Nov 09 - village pond

What a handsome stonechat, though a little wary of my presence, obliged me with a good shot.

A female Danaid Eggfly Butterfly (Identified by Dr Surya Prakash). What is the meaning of a 'butterfly smile'?

Sarus Crane pair. I was told my two youngsters who are familiar with me that a pair was seen a few days before with two chicks. But today, only a pair! If this is the same parent pair, then what happened to the chicks?

This creature (Tiger Centipede according to Swapna Prabhu) was lying on the road, injured... dogs would come, sniff it and move away. My son Gaggu told me to put an end to the pains of the poor creature... and I obliged. Don't know, if I did good or bad, but it was out of compassion for this creature.